Relay with spring actuated electrical contact

ABSTRACT

An improved electromagnetic relay which includes unique doubleacting leaf springs which are connected to contact carriers and which assure positive electrical continuity between the contact. A novel assembly which includes contacts to the coil of the relay is also provided.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Anthony N. Grotz Joliet;

Robert L. Lee, Pontiac; Donald J. Fumagalli, Jollet, allot, Ill. 863,042

Oct. 2, 1969 July 27, 1971 Liberty Leasing Co., lnc. Shorewood, lll.

Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee RELAY WITH SPRING ACTUATED ELECTRICAL CONTACT 9 Claims,6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. CL... 335/185 [5114 1nt.Cl 1101b 1/50 [50] Field ofSearch 335/185,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,677,024 4/1954 Welch 335/187 3,130,282 4/1965 Hanaway. 335/255 3,260,818 7/1966 Fisher 335/274 FOREIGN PATENTS 521,504 7/1921 France 335/274 Primary Examiner-Harold Broorne Att0rney-- Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross and Simpson ABSTRACT: An improved electromagnetic relay which includes unique double-acting leaf springs which are connected to contact carriers and which assure positive electrical continuity between the contact. A novel assembly which includes contacts to the coil of the relay is also provided.

z! a a; Pu 33 PATENTEB Jum IBYI 3, 596, 221

RELAY WITH SPRING ACTUATED ELECTRICAL CONTACT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates, in general, to electromagnetic relays and in particular to an improved relay which utilizes a doubleactingleaf spring and which has integrally formed contacts for supplying power to the coil ofthe relay.

2. Description of the Prior Art Many prior art electromagnetic relays have utilized two or more springs for biasing the armature of the relay in two directions to assure good electrical contact between the contacts of the relay. Such structures become quite complicated and where coil springs have been used oscillation has at times occurred in the relays.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an improved electromagnetic relay which utilizes double-acting leaf springs to provide bias of the armature in two directions. The energizing winding of the electromagnetic relay is mounted on a bobbin which is mounted in a magnetic housing and which has a central pole piece against which an armature is drawn when the electromagnet is energized. A pair of double-acting leaf springs according to this invention are mounted between the end of the bobbin and the armature and two contact carriers extend through the armature and are connected to portions of the leaf springs. The contact carriers have transverse contact members upon which the movable contacts are supported and pairs of fixed electrical contacts are mounted on either side of the movable contacts. The electromagnetic relay is. assembled with an. insulating base which includes the movable and fixed contacts and an electrical connection is made to the energizing coil of the relay through mating plugs and sockets.

Other objects, features and: advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accom an in drawin s, althou h variations and modifica- P y S 8, 8

tions may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure, and. in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view ofa relay according to this invention taken on line I--] of FIG. 2; FIG. 2 is a sectional view ofthe relay;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-Ill of FIG. 2 of the relay;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a plan view of the leaf spring of the invention; and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the armature of the-relay.

DETAILEDDESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. I is a sectional view of the relay according to this invention which is designated generally as 10 and which comprises a plastic contact assembly 11 formed with a rim 12 which is received in a cover member 13. A U-shaped magnetic member l4.is mounted in the-cover member 13 and receives the bobbin designated generally as 16 of the electromagnet therein. The bobbin is formed withtabs 17a and-17b which are formed in the member 14 and the bobbin may be press-fitted into the member 14. with the tabs 17a and 17b passing into the openings of the member l4:to lock the bobbin in place. The center pole piece 19 of the bobbin 16 extends downwardly relativeto FIG. 1, as shown. A pairof leaf springs 22 and 23 are mounted; between the end of the bobbin l7 and an armature 21 whichis mounted between the plastic member 11 and the ends 18 of the magnetic member 14 and the end of the pole piece 19; The leaf spring 23 is shown in plan view in FIG. 5 and the springs in the assembly relationship are shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. As shown in FIG. 5, the spring 23 has a pair of end portions 24 and 26 which are joined by a main section 27 and a cantilever portion 28 and has a tab 29 that is receivable through openings formed in contact actuators. For example, the tab 29 fits through an opening in the contact actuator 30 and the tab 32 of spring 22 first through'the openings of the contact actuator 31. As shown'in FIG."6, the armature 21 is formed with a pair of openings 21a and 21b through which the contact actuators 30 and 31 extend. A pair of contact carriers 33 and 34 extend transversely of the contact actuators 30-and 31 and as best shown in FIG. 2 are movable between four pairs of contacts. Two pairs of the contacts 36 and 37, 38 and 39 are visible in FIG. 2. The contact carrier 33, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 in the unenergized position of the relay, makes electrical contact between contacts 37 and 39 which may be connected to leads 4! and 44 embedded in the plastic member II and which are electrically connected to the contacts 37 and 39. In the energized position of the relay the armature 21 moves up depressing the springs 22 and 23 until the armature 21 engages the ends 18 of the magnetic member 14 and the end of the pole piece 19. The springs carry the contact actuators upwardly relative to FIGS. 1 and 2 and the contact carriers 33 and 34 make contact between different contacts. For example, the contact carrier 33 makes electrical contact between contacts 36 and 38 when the relay is energized.

The end portions 24 and 26 of spring 23 and the end portions 40 and 41 of spring 22 press against the end 17 of the bobbin when the relay is energized causing armature 21 to move upwardly relative to FIGS. 1 and 2 so the armature will be spring-biased downwardly by the springs. When the relay is deenergized the springs 22 and 23 press the armature 21 downwardly relative to FIGS. 1 and 2 and also press the contact actuators 30 and 31 downwardly so that the contact carriers 33 and 34 engage the lower contacts associated therewith. FIG. 2 shows the contacts with the relay in the unenergized position, for example.

The bobbin I6 is provided with a female socket to which the winding ofthe bobbin is connected which receive mating male prongs mounted in the plastic member 11 and which are connected to terminals 50, for example, which extend from the plastic member 11. Thus, in assembly, when the plastic member 11 is pressed into the cover member 13 the winding 16 is electrically connected to external contacts so that the winding may be selectively energized by applying power'to the contacts.

The relay of this invention comprises a simple and easy to assemble structure which has great reliability and long life. The springs 22 and 23 are double-acting and provide spring bias for the armature 21 and the electrical contacts carried on the contact carriers 33 and 34 so that positive electrical contact exists at all times.

Although the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications may be made which are within the full intended scope as defined by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an electromagnetic relay having an energizingcoil and an armature movable relative to said coil comprising, a pair of leaf springs each formed with a pair of end portions and a central curved portion between said end portions and each formed with cantilever portions, said pair of leaf springs mounted between said armature and said coil, a pair of contact actuators connected to the cantilever portions ofsaid leaf springs, a pair of transverse contact carriers attached to said contact actuators, and a plurality of stationary contact pairs mounted adjacent said contact carriers.

2. In an electromagnetic relay according to claim 1 wherein said armature is formed with a pair of openings through which said pair of contact actuators extend and the contact carriers and the plurality of stationary contacts are mounted on the side of the armature away from said energizing coil.

3. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 2comprising a cover member, an insulating base member received in said cover member, the relay contained in said cover member, a plurality of electrical leads mounted in said insulating base member and electrically connected to said plurality of stationary contacts, and a pair of energizing leads mounted in said insulating base member and electrically connected to said energizing coil.

4. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 3 comprising a pair of detachable contacts having first portions mounted in said base and attached to said energizing leads, and having second portions attached to said energizing and receivable in said first portions when the base is positioned on the cover.

5. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 1 wherein said leaf springs bias the armature in a direction away from the coil when the relay is energized and the armature causes the contact actuators to move so that the contact carriers engage first ones of said plurality of stationary contact pairs, and said leaf springs cause the contact actuators to move so that the contact carriers engage second ones of said plurality of contact pairs when the relay is not energized.

6. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 1 wherein said curved portion of said springs are bow-shaped and are mounted so that they flex between said coil and said armature.

7. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 6 wherein said end portions of said springs bear against the coil when the relay is energized.

8. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 8 wherein said coil is wound on a bobbin which has a portion which said end portions engage.

9. In an electromagnetic relay having an energizing coil and an armature movable relative to said coil, leaf spring means mounted between said coil and said armature to bias them apart and having a contact biasing portion, contact means connected to said contact biasing portion and movable to first and second positions, wherein said leaf spring is formed with a pair of end portions and a central curved portion and said end portions bear against the coil, and said leaf spring is formed with a cantilever portion which extends from one of said end portions to which said contact means is connected.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,596,221 D ted July 27, 1971 lnventofls) Anthony N Grotz, Robert L. Lee and Donald ].Fumagalli It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 6, "according to claim 8" should read -according to claim 7.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of February 1972.

(SEAL) Atte st:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOI'TSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents ORM PO-1050l10-69) USCOMM-DC suave-pus 0 U 5 GOVERNMENT PRINTNG OFFICE 1969 355-334 

1. In an electromagnetic relay having an energizing coil and an armature movable relative to said coil comprising, a pair of leaf springs each formed with a pair of end portions and a central curved portion between said end Portions and each formed with cantilever portions, said pair of leaf springs mounted between said armature and said coil, a pair of contact actuators connected to the cantilever portions of said leaf springs, a pair of transverse contact carriers attached to said contact actuators, and a plurality of stationary contact pairs mounted adjacent said contact carriers.
 2. In an electromagnetic relay according to claim 1 wherein said armature is formed with a pair of openings through which said pair of contact actuators extend and the contact carriers and the plurality of stationary contacts are mounted on the side of the armature away from said energizing coil.
 3. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 2 comprising a cover member, an insulating base member received in said cover member, the relay contained in said cover member, a plurality of electrical leads mounted in said insulating base member and electrically connected to said plurality of stationary contacts, and a pair of energizing leads mounted in said insulating base member and electrically connected to said energizing coil.
 4. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 3 comprising a pair of detachable contacts having first portions mounted in said base and attached to said energizing leads, and having second portions attached to said energizing and receivable in said first portions when the base is positioned on the cover.
 5. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 1 wherein said leaf springs bias the armature in a direction away from the coil when the relay is energized and the armature causes the contact actuators to move so that the contact carriers engage first ones of said plurality of stationary contact pairs, and said leaf springs cause the contact actuators to move so that the contact carriers engage second ones of said plurality of contact pairs when the relay is not energized.
 6. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 1 wherein said curved portion of said springs are bow-shaped and are mounted so that they flex between said coil and said armature.
 7. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 6 wherein said end portions of said springs bear against the coil when the relay is energized.
 8. An electromagnetic relay according to claim 8 wherein said coil is wound on a bobbin which has a portion which said end portions engage.
 9. In an electromagnetic relay having an energizing coil and an armature movable relative to said coil, leaf spring means mounted between said coil and said armature to bias them apart and having a contact biasing portion, contact means connected to said contact biasing portion and movable to first and second positions, wherein said leaf spring is formed with a pair of end portions and a central curved portion and said end portions bear against the coil, and said leaf spring is formed with a cantilever portion which extends from one of said end portions to which said contact means is connected. 